Henri Vidal Movies

Action Immediate was adapted from a novel by Paul Kenny. Evidently this was quite an undertaking, since it took the combined talents of three screenwriters. Obviously inspired by Hollywood action flicks, the film concerns a set of top-secret rocket plans. When the plans are stolen by enemy agents, Gallic secret service operative Henri Vidal swings into action. Inevitably, the evidence trail leads him directly into the arms of several luscious ladies. There's a slam-bang climax pitting Vidal against the villains. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Italian director Pietro Francisci directed this 1954 drama about the fifth-century invasion of Rome by Attila the Hun. Anthony Quinn stars as the legendary barbaric King of the Huns who wreaked havoc upon Rome, threatening to topple the entire empire. Sophia Loren costars as Honoria, the beautiful young woman whose help is enlisted by Pope Leo I and may be the only person who can end Attila's rampage. Also starring Henri Vidal and Irene Papas, Attila, il flagello di Dio was released in the United States as Attila. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Zizi Jeanmaire, the delightful French singer/actress who previously brightened such American films as Hans Christian Andersen and Anything Goes, is the star of Charmants Garcons (Charming Boys). Jeanmaire is appropriately cast as a nightclub entertainer named Lulu, who is surrounded by a throng of "Stage Door Johnnies" of all ages. Lulu is too gracious and generous to say "Non!", and as a result her heart is broken again and again. It isn't until the very end that she finds true love with the most unlikely of fellows. Future Goldfinger star Gert Froebe is terrific as a lecherous zillionaire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this odd French tragedy, set in Ireland, a nun plots revenge against her brother's executor, the IRA leader she had idolized. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

After several years of wartime austerity, the Italian film industry returned to spectacle with Fabiola. French actress Michele Morgan plays the title role, the daughter of a Roman aristocrat (Michel Simon) during the takeover by Emperor Constantine. As a reaction to Constantine's Christian conversion policy, many old-line Romans are persecuting the city's Christian community, killing the believers off before Constantine marches into town. Fabiola is loyal to her Christian-sympathizing father but is irresistibly drawn to a Roman gladiator (Henri Vidal). All works out for the best when it is revealed that the gladiator is secretly working on behalf of Constantine. Originally released in 1949 at a length of 183 minutes, the French/Italian co-production Fabiola was distributed to the U.S. two years later in a 96-minute version, retaining the action highlights but cutting the plot footage to incomprehensible ribbons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Not reaching much beyond a routine and predictable crime-romance story, La Bete a L'Afflut features (Francoise Arnoul) as an attractive widow faced with an unusual dilemma. A convict has escaped from prison and gets into her place, whereupon she is prevented from calling the police. The interaction between the widow and the convict soon evolves into a steamy love affair, though that in no way means he is going to remain safe from capture. This was one of the last films of director Pierre Chenal, known for his crime dramas. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

La Passante (The Passerby) stars Henri Vidal as the title character, a seafaring man named Francois. While briefly stopping over in Paris, Francois makes the acquaintance of Mado (Maria Mauban), a young woman who has just killed her husband in self-defense. Mado persuades Francois to allow her passage on his barge. This leads to another potential tragedy when Mado comes between the sailor and his assistant Georges (Daniel Invernel). Any French film set on a barge inevitably invites comparison to Jean Vigo's influential L'Atlante; La Passante, however, gets by on its own merits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This psychological drama is set aboard a submarine carrying Nazi officials fleeing their country just before the end of World War II. They are trying to get to South America, but along the way they meet with many obstacles including a bout with a destroyer where they are depth-charged. When the count's wife, Marly, (she is also the on-board general's mistress) is wounded the sub lands in France where the Germans snatch a doctor. The doctor knows his life is in danger. To combat the self-exiles he begins manipulating their emotions, getting them to feel despair, defeat, and helping them realize that all their actions are hopeless. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The title of this French prison drama loosely translates to Heels Go to Hell. Making his directorial debut, Robert Hossein also assumes the leading role, playing an escaped convict. Hossein and his fellow escapees cross the path of Marina Vlady, with whom they all fall in love. Alas for our "heroes," Vlady intends to avenge the death of her sweetheart at the hands of Hossein and his confreres. Not only do these heels go to Hell, but they do so with a spectacular flourish. Les Salauds Vont en Enfer was adapted by Rene Wheeler from a play by Frederic Dard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Showing no signs of slowing down in his 70th year, Sacha Guitry served as director and writer of the lavish historical epic Napoleon, and also costarred as Talleyrand. It is now hard to assess the quality of the film, since most American prints are severely edited, and the color photography appallingly washed out. Reviewers in 1955 admired the effort that went into this $1,800,000 production, but complained that the viewer left the film with no deeper understanding of Napoleon Bonaparte than the viewer had had when coming in. Daniel Gelin poses impressively as the young Bonaparte, registering emotion only when things go wrong in his conquest of Europe, while Raymond Pellegrin is somewhat better as the older, more jaded Napoleon (the transition between the two actors is handled in a near-comic fashion). The Revolution is reduced to a few fleeting scenes, while the rest of the film is devoted to political infighting and betrayal. The huge supporting cast includes Michele Morgan as Josephine and Lana Marconi and Dany Robin, respectively, as Napoleon's mistresses Waleska and Desiree. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Port de Lilias was Rene Clair's first film since 1955, and his last until 1960. It is more serious than most of Clair's efforts, ending with a death that is all the more surprising in that the director never quite prepares us for it. Pierre Brasseur plays Juju, a likeable ne'er-do-well who suddenly finds himself the "guardian" of a murderer named Barbier (Henri Vidal). When his identity is discovered by the heroine Maria (Dany Carel), Barbier wins and betrays the girl. This galvanizes the otherwise easygoing Juju into drastic action. Functioning as a Greek chorus throughout the proceedings is well-known balladeer George Brassens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide